Episode 18

       STACY, JACKIE, THUNDER (PERCY), ROBERT

“Remember when I left the home to move in with Percy, well Thunder is Percy.  When we got to his apartment he had a bunch of women there all over him.  So I didn’t move in, but when I was on the street with Itt, the guy that you shot picked us up and he gave me drugs and I have be strung out every since and he has been taken care of us from a distant.  But if Percy wasn’t such a dick head I would not be addicted to drugs, you see.  It wasn’t my choice.  He gave me drugs to control me because Itt is his son, but Itt don’t know,” Stacy told Jackie standing outside of the bakery.

Robert standing in the doorway listening to this story and he come out to where the girls are.  “Did you say you have a child name Itt?”

Thunder is standing besides Robert with sadness in his eyes feeling sorry for Stacy.

“Get that dumb look off your face, Percy,” Stacy told Thunder.

“Yeah my 18 year old name is Itt, I don’t know where he is. He doesn’t want anything to do with me so he left,” Stacy said.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t know,” Jackie said and gave her sister a hug.

“Stacy, Itt is at my house in Minnesota.  He has been there for weeks.  We have been trying to get in touch with you and the number we have don’t work anymore.  He is ok.  Did you know he was in an accident?” Robert said.

“He’s at your house?  Well how did he end up there?  Yes Charles told me about the accident and let me know that he was alright,” Stacy said.

“Well, did this Charles person know where he was at and if so why didn’t he tell you?” Robert asked.

“Look man I don’t know, I don’t even know why he left.  What I do know is that man right there (she points at Thunder) ain’t shit,” Stacy said.

“Stacy that was a long time ago, he seems to be a nice guy.  Just like you changed everyone changes,” Jackie said in Thunder defense.

“Look Stacy I’m not that guy anymore.  A whole lot of shit has happened that I’m not proud of.  I never told you that you can’t stay, you decided that.  I’m sorry for the way your life has turned out but it’s not completely my fault. You can go on hating me for as long as you want, at this point it won’t change the pass,” Thunder said.

“I’m gonna call my wife and let her know that we have found you,” Robert said.

Robert walks back into the store and goes into the office and calls Carla.

“Hey honey?” Robert said.

“Hey Robert, I was just about to call you.  It is crazy around here and I’m about to loose my mind.  I got into a fight with Janet……”, (she told him about the events that took place)

“Honey I’m so sorry that you went through that...” Robert said.

“Robert, somebody is at the door.  Hold on,” Carla said.

Carla walks to the door.  “Yes, can I help you?”

“It’s me.”

Carla opens the door and there stand Janet with crocodile tears running down her pale face.  “I’m so sorry.  Can I come in?  I don’t want to stay; Jon is wiring me some money for an airline ticket.  It’s just that it’s gonna be a couple hours.  I don’t wanna fight anymore.  I think I need help,” Janet said.

“I have Robert on the phone.  Come in,” Carla said.

Carla gets back on the phone with Robert and tells him it’s Janet.

“So Francesca, huh?  She completely looks different then she did in high school,” Robert said.

“Yeah, she is beautiful.  But she has an ugly attitude.  Is there anyway that we can buy her out?” Carla said.

“I’m sorry honey, we can’t afford to buy her out just yet and from what I hear she isn’t gonna be happy being bought out.  I don’t know what we can do.  Maybe I can talk to her,” Robert said.

“When you talk to her I want to be there,” Carla said with insecurity in her voice.

“Honey you don’t have to worry,” Robert assured her.

“She just has such sensuality and you did used to date,” Carla said.

“I never dated her.  Her brother Diablo was my best friend that is all.  I knew she liked me but she was very strange.  Don’t worry honey,” Robert said.

Thunder walks into the office and sits on the other side of Robert’s desk. 

“That reminds me, Itt’s mother is here, the woman I hired to run the store, is Itt’s aunt and his mother Stacy is here.  Everything he told us is true.  I don’t think it would be a good idea for him to come here with her.  She is really strung out on drugs,” Robert said.

“You can’t do that, that’s her son,” Thunder said eavesdropping on Robert’s conversation.

“Hold on honey,” Robert said and put his hand on the mouth piece of the phone so Carla wouldn’t hear, “this isn’t your affair, stay out of it, okay?”

Thunder gets up out of the chair and walks out of the office.  He sees the sisters chatting and catching up.  Stacy looks over at Thunder and rolls her eyes.

“Don’t be like that, Stacy.  We really need to get you some help.  This is a real mess.  I want to help you and Itt.  I can ask my husband if it’s alright that you stay with us for awhile,” Stacy said.

“THUNDER!” Robert yelled from his office.

Thunder walks from the lobby back into Robert’s office.

“Close and lock the door and have a seat.  Let me know what’s going on,” Robert said.

“Okay, here’s my story.  I was born in Detroit and moved to New York and now reside in Minnesota.  I did a lot of things in my youth.  Drugs, alcohol, I even did porn.  Porn is where I made the money to buy the gym and start my business. Once it start being successful I quit the industry.  I have a son and I have a protection order against his mother.  She is putting me through a lot of shit,” Thunder said.

“Yeah, apparently she is putting my wife through shit too.  Excuse my French.  Her and my wife had a situation just like my son and your son.  We need to figure this out.  I need to know that there aren’t any surprises with us doing business together, especially if it’s gonna harm the success and our friendship.  I know that people change and situations change, but sometimes things aren’t at rest and needs to be dealt with once and for all.  We have a big day coming up with the taping at Othella and I don’t wanna be pulled up in any scandals.  So do what you have to do.  We only have two days before we have to be in Chicago.  Oh and Stacy. What’s the deal with that?” Robert asked.

“I don’t know.  The day she said she came over I must have had a few ladies over entertaining me and she must have gotten upset and the rest is history.  I have not heard from her since she lived in the home as a young girl.  All what she is accusing me of, I had no idea.  I can’t fix that,” Thunder said.

“Yeah, true.  But she has to leave.  It’s bad for business.  Tell Jackie that she has to continue her reunion after work,” Robert said.

         JON

Jon sits in his study listening to Jodeci’s song on repeat ‘So You’re Having My Baby’ and watching his sharks in his 10 foot aquarium. He wonders if he had did that one thing different would he be in the position he’s in now, that one thing that possibly cost him a lot of regret.  Tracy crosses
his mind and he feels bad about the pain that he inflicted upon him because of his selfishness.  The song starts over again.  He walks over to the player and press eject.  He feels that he is losing himself.  Suddenly he hears Janet’s voice ‘Jon, Jon’ he puts his hands up to his ears to cover the noise that once haunted him in nightmares.  The light from the hallway crept inside of the dark room making Jon aware that someone is
entering and there stand a member of Jon’s staff, “sir, Lady Janet awaits you outside of your window,” Reginald the butler informs Jon and points to the window that framed the white pale face. A vulnerable Jon walks to the window and lifts, “what are you doing out there in the rain?  Reginald open the front door,” Jon said.

Reginald opens the front door to a soaking wet Tracy and then sees a soaking wet Janet running from around the side of the house.

Jon enters the foyer and sees past his butler these two wet figures, one with anger and one with relief on their faces. 

“Who’s letting that air in?”

A woman comes walking into the foyer with a robe on partially wet from a warm shower.

“BETH!!” Tracy and Janet said in unison.

(In case you forgot, Beth is the girl that sat next to Tracy at the call center, in the first episode)

       OTHELLA SHOW

“Good morning, welcome to the Othella Show.  Oh boy, we have a treat for you today.  One of my producers who shall remain nameless is always on the lookout for low-fat treats.  They came across these goodies that will make you slap yo momma.  I always wonder what can be so good that you would put yourself in that much trouble.  ‘Slapping yo momma’ (laughter from Othella and the audience).  Well, anyway it also will help you slim your waistline.  By a show of hands, how many people can use a treat as such?  Great! I know many American’s, including myself has and still is battling the bulge so I can use snacks like that.  With obesity on the rise in this country for many years and the addiction to sugar and carbs we can all use the help.  I have tried these
sweet treats myself and I can’t tell you how delicious it is, so we will just
let you try it for your self.  So ‘WHAT’S THE SKINNY!” television host Othella said as a crew of extremely fit men and women parade the isles with trays of assorted treats from Robert and Thunder’s remarkable new idea.

Robert and Thunder walk nervously onto the stage and stand behind the work station that was set up for them.

“Welcome Robert Dacosta and Percy “Thunder” Jenkins to the Othella Show.  Hi fellows, how are you doing?” Othella said as she walked her 4 foot 6 inch 165lb frame towards them and shakes there hand.

“Good morning, I have to say it’s an honor to be here,” Robert said.

“Look at what we have here.  Whole wheat flour, honey, flaxseed, you guys look like you know your stuff,” Othella said.

“I have been in the fitness (Othella feels Thunder’s bicep’s) business since I was a kid and always was looking for innovative ways to help our kids especially and adults eat what they love, but healthy,” Thunder said.

“I know that we have these, how do I say this? These snacks that are low fat in our local groceries.  What makes ‘What’s the Skinny’ by the way
guys I love the name, what make’s these snacks different or better than those?” Othella ask while she looks at Robert and wonders how he can promote these snacks with him being as big as he is.

“Our food, not snacks, is fresh and not processed and we use real ingredients.  You won’t find a long shelf life with our food, because it is fresher.  We don’t use preservatives and additives,” Thunder said.

“Ok, just let me say what everybody is thinking…..,” Robert said but was cut off by Othella.

“I’m sorry Robert, hold that though.  We have to go to a commercial break.  When we come back the boys will make there signature snack. You don’t wanna miss this.  Come back to us after these messages on the Othella Show,” Othella said and suddenly her make-up and hair dresser comes and prep her for the next segment.

“OH SO WE BIG TIME NOW?  WHEN YOU GON SUPPORT YOUR SON, NIGGA?”

(Producer say’s…back in 5,4,3,2,…back on the air.)

“What are you doing here?  I got a protection order against you,” Thunder said trying to stay calm.

“Ha, Ha, Ha, hello dear.  Is this part of your presentation?” Othella said trying to mask the situation.

“Go to commercial, go to commercial!” Othella said.

Security grabs a fiesty Sahralonda and escorts her back stage and calls the police, but she is putting up a fight and they find it hard to hold her.

Robert stands there in disbelief and embarrassment.

BANG!!!!!!  BANG!!!!!

“Call an ambulance!” a producer yelled.

It was pandemonium and chaos in the Othella Show studio and the audience scattered towards the exits.

“Yes, there was a shooting and there is no pulse. Can you get someone hear quickly please!?” a producer told the emergency operator.

Thunder drops the .38 as he watches Sahralonda lay on the floor.

To Be Continued…..